GDT: Game #61- Avs host Kraken @7pm MT / 9pm ET/ 4am CET/ 8am ICT

[dahrougem2]

Avs coaches must be pretty fed up if cool as a cucumber Bednar is bringing up the possibility of a benching for Rantanen's continued undisciplined antics. It's not just the mouthing off, it's also the retaliation minors he keeps picking up.

Rightfully so. The guy has been psychotic most of the season but especially so lately.

 

[the_fan]

Horvat is better than JTC defensively… but controlling the play is about it all. You can’t really believe that JTC is better than Horvat…

I’d like to have Horvat or ROR not saying I wouldn’t, but I guess Avs just didn’t want to give up that 1st for a rental

 

[Ceremony]

San Jose should hopefully be a good game to get back on track. Bottom dweller that sold and play in Winnipeg the night before.

Karlsson will rip the Norris out of Frail Cale's desperate, grasping fingers.

 

[henchman21]

I’d like to have Horvat or ROR not saying I wouldn’t, but I guess Avs just didn’t want to give up that 1st for a rental

And they wouldn't have had to... plenty of evidence from last summer to now that the Avs could have solved this issue, with term.

Karlsson will rip the Norris out of Frail Cale's desperate, grasping fingers.

Meanwhile Dalhin swoops in

 

[S E P H]

Rycroft's job is to blow smoke up your ass. He has rose coloured goggles on at all times along with Moser.

I rarely watch Avs broadcasts anymore since I can't get them on the telly so I have to watch them online and I find myself choosing the opposing feed since I can't stand how Moser calls a game. However, I've caught some Avs feed throughout the season and I think it comes with the job. We all know that Rycroft spoke quite honestly and analytically when he was the between-period host. He's done an almost 180-degree change since taking over as the in-game analyst and I argue he hasn't been any different to how McNab was when he was there. I am thinking that the job itself changes you instead of the person changing for the job.

 

[henchman21]

I rarely watch Avs broadcasts anymore since I can't get them on the telly so I have to watch them online and I find myself choosing the opposing feed since I can't stand how Moser calls a game. However, I've caught some Avs feed throughout the season and I think it comes with the job. We all know that Rycroft spoke quite honestly and analytically when he was the between-period host. He's done an almost 180-degree change since taking over as the in-game analyst and I argue he hasn't been any different to how McNab was when he was there. I am thinking that the job itself changes you instead of the person changing for the job.

Rycroft is trying to be McNab, but he doesn't have the stories to go along with it. Maybe he'll improve as he gets more experience, but he's not good right now.

Moser is bottom 5, arguably worst PBP out there though. I can't figure out who is worse between Moser and Edwards personally.

 

[SirLoinOfCloth]

I don't think Moser is great by any means, but I still always pick the Avs feed because if I'm going to listen to someone getting excited for a team I want it to be for my team. All the scissoring and good wood'ing is just a compromise.

 

[dahrougem2]

Moser sucks.

 

[henchman21]

I could get over dumb catchphrases and homerism if that was all Moser was... the constant whining and cope from Moser is what drives me nuts.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Makar was probably 2nd or 3rd, but George was by far the best player for the Avs. Not even close.


Maybe... but the center role is simply different and while Landy can pull heavy defensive duty, expecting him to solve that after missing a season is unlikely at best. JTC simply isn't a 2C, no amount of bandaids change that fact.

George was great. Liked him a lot last night.

 

[AvBuff]

Big picture. The Avs have played a crap-ton of hockey games the last 2-3 years. They followed up the jacked-up post COVID schedule with a 16-4 SC run and Championship . . . and got rewarded with the shortest off season in NHL history and scheduling that should have been cancelled by the Geneva Convention. These back2back series of games have just been ludicrous. And all this stuff tends to show up on the injury lists. Thing is, the Avs nutted up big time in the B2Bs and got themselves back in the picture in 10 days. They might be paying for that focus right now.

I'm not not making excuses. These are highly paid professional athletes making millions to perform. But they're also human beings and while rest/scheduling/injuries isn't an excuse, it is a factor.

The Avs will make the playoffs. Easily. But it may not be pretty. Once they get there though - and if ( a big "if") they get everybody healthy (or close) - I like their chances.

 

[henchman21]

Big picture. The Avs have played a crap-ton of hockey games the last 2-3 years. They followed up the jacked-up post COVID schedule with a 16-4 SC run and Championship . . . and got rewarded with the shortest off season in NHL history and scheduling that should have been cancelled by the Geneva Convention. These back2back series of games have just been ludicrous. And all this stuff tends to show up on the injury lists. Thing is, the Avs nutted up big time in the B2Bs and got themselves back in the picture in 10 days. They might be paying for that focus right now.

I'm not not making excuses. These are highly paid professional athletes making millions to perform. But they're also human beings and while rest/scheduling/injuries isn't an excuse, it is a factor.

The Avs will make the playoffs. Easily. But it may not be pretty. Once they get there though - and if ( a big "if") they get everybody healthy (or close) - I like their chances.

Step 1: Create list of excuses
Step 2: Rebrand excuses as factors
Step 3: Profit

You're definitely a lawyer.

 

[AvBuff]

Step 1: Create list of excuses
Step 2: Rebrand excuses as factors
Step 3: Profit

You're definitely a lawyer.

You are correct, counselor.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Avs coaches must be pretty fed up if cool as a cucumber Bednar is bringing up the possibility of a benching for Rantanen's continued undisciplined antics. It's not just the mouthing off, it's also the retaliation minors he keeps picking up.

Been saying it. This guy has no idea how to channel his rage into something good. He lets it consume him and hurts his team but he does nothing about it on the scoreboard. Mikko is at his best when hes moving his feet. We saw this a few games ago. Thats how he needs to play. The past 3 games hes actively sought to take a penalty late in periods. He was very lucky in that New Jersey game he didnt take a penalty near the end of the first but damn did he ever try by slashing and cross checking a Devil.

 

[S E P H]

I could get over dumb catchphrases and homerism if that was all Moser was... the constant whining and cope from Moser is what drives me nuts.

I have absolutely zero care about homerism which is why I don't mind opposing feeds compared to other Av fans here, though I understand that there are times when it can go too far and destroy a broadcast team as you see with the Ducks or Red Wings team (throw the Preds and Wild teams in there as well). Nonetheless, it's sort of the opposite for me, it's the catchphrases and just an overall prick attitude that rubs off me the wrong way by Moser.

I agree that Rycroft comes across as really plain in the booth, but I've liked his analysis during replays instead of his in-game dialogue, so he at least has one redeeming quality. It can also be worse, we can be stuck with Eddie O and constantly interrupting Forslund or talking to the people like they're 7-year-olds' watching hockey for the first time...which might be the reason why Seattle picked him up lol. Engblom is also very bad at this but at least he's got some superb breakdown for the game. Edwards is awesome because he knows he's a troll and takes value in that, but I must admit that I haven't watched him in a very long time. I think I was chequing out the Bruins cast sometime late last season and his playcalling has really aged for the worse like Bob Cole.

 

[Pokecheque]

I guess my question at this point is...why does this team seemingly play worse when Cale is in the lineup?

 

[henchman21]

I guess my question at this point is...why does this team seemingly play worse when Cale is in the lineup?

Why did they play better when Bordeleau was in the lineup?

Frequently we try to attribute these variations to one thing as humans when that frequently isn't the case.

Makar is in his own head a bit and the Avs tend to differ to their best players. When he's off, the Avs tend to be off. It isn't Makar so much as how the team operates and relies on him. Just like if MacK has a crappy week, the Avs will struggle. When they are out, the whole team has to elevate and play differently to succeed.

 

[niwotsblessing]

Karlsson will rip the Norris out of Frail Cale's desperate, grasping fingers.

Cale doesn't gaf about the Norris. He got his name on the Conn Smythe and the Cup last year and that is all that matters for him now.

 

[Alex Jones]

Rycroft is trying to be McNab, but he doesn't have the stories to go along with it. Maybe he'll improve as he gets more experience, but he's not good right now.

Moser is bottom 5, arguably worst PBP out there though. I can't figure out who is worse between Moser and Edwards personally.

Rycroft will improve as a storyteller. Also a lot of McNab's stories were interesting simply because they were old. If McNab says something like: "I played against Bobby Orr and wow was that guy fast" people find it interesting, if Rycroft says something like: "I played against Ovechkin and wow could that guy shoot the puck" nobody gives a shit because we all know this. In 40 years people will probably find that story interesting as well.

Rycroft will never be likable like McNab was. I know McNab gave a lot of very generic analysis over the years but every once in a while he would drop something pretty interesting or insightful. Rycroft doesn't have that.

 

[henchman21]

Rycroft will improve as a storyteller. Also a lot of McNab's stories were interesting s imply because they were old. If McNab says something like: "I played against Bobby Orr and wow was that guy fast" people find it interesting, if Rycroft says something like: "I played against Ovechkin and wow could that guy shoot the puck" nobody gives a shit because we all know this. In 40 years people will probably find that story interesting as well.

Rycroft will never be likable like McNab was. I know McNab gave a lot of not very interesting analysis over the years but every once in a while he would drop something pretty interesting or insightful. Rycroft doesn't have that.

McNab was also a legit good hockey player and played through some interesting eras. He has a large well to pull from. Rycroft was a scrub who played 3 seasons in the show as a 4th liner. McNabb played 14 years, nearly 1000 games and was one of the Bruins' best players in the late 70s early 80s.

 

[TomppaKoo]

Been saying it. This guy has no idea how to channel his rage into something good. He lets it consume him and hurts his team but he does nothing about it on the scoreboard. Mikko is at his best when hes moving his feet. We saw this a few games ago. Thats how he needs to play. The past 3 games hes actively sought to take a penalty late in periods. He was very lucky in that New Jersey game he didnt take a penalty near the end of the first but damn did he ever try by slashing and cross checking a Devil.

Do you think Avs are better without Mikko? This Wich hount is getting ridiculous in this board. MacK was the only and the single reason Avs lost previous game.

 

[Avs9296]

Maybe... but the center role is simply different and while Landy can pull heavy defensive duty, expecting him to solve that after missing a season is unlikely at best. JTC simply isn't a 2C, no amount of bandaids change that fact.

While I agree JTC is not a 2C, we did go 5-1 with him at 2C for us in the playoffs last year, and he is playing at a higher production pace this year than last.

So I think it's still possible to make the SCF with him at 2C, but the margin for error is slim to none and we HAVE to stay healthy.

 

[Pokecheque]

Do you think Avs are better without Mikko? This Wich hount is getting ridiculous in this board. MacK was the only and the single reason Avs lost previous game.

Well that's not true at all. Yes, that giveaway by MacKinnon was inexcusable, but he's was not the only reason they lost. The team as a whole apart from #40 in net was not good, it's more accurate to say that Georgiev kept the Avs in a game where they were being thoroughly outplayed.

And everyone knows the team wouldn't be where it is if Mikko hadn't put the team on his back when everyone and their mother was injured, but we can also acknowledge that was a stupid act on his part. He went off because he THOUGHT he was getting called when in fact it was Johnson. The fact that Bednar actually came out and said he thought about benching one of his best players tells you just how mad he was about it.

It's fine though--Nate had his rage moment, and he learned and grew from it. Now it's Mikko's turn.

 

[The Moops]

While I agree JTC is not a 2C, we did go 5-1 with him at 2C for us in the playoffs last year, and he is playing at a higher production pace this year than last.

So I think it's still possible to make the SCF with him at 2C, but the margin for error is slim to none and we HAVE to stay healthy.

TBH, we could have made it past Vegas with JTC as the 2C if half of the D didn't forget that you aren't supposed to cough up the puck constantly and if Grubs wasn't doing his best one-eyed Darcy impersonation

 

[The Kingslayer]

Do you think Avs are better without Mikko? This Wich hount is getting ridiculous in this board. MacK was the only and the single reason Avs lost previous game.

Tell me the part where I think the Avs are better without him? My criticism with him is this one thing. Where he cant keep his emotions in check and goes out and hurts his team. I have praised Mikko all season long and even posted the other day how I think he should be a candidate for the Hart this season. Where was your ass for that one huh?